Oh dear, we're all of a flutter!
Patricia listened to Weedy dodge the question about Jane spreading rumours about Sis with approval. They didn't like squealers in this household.
"Clemmy said a little, but there's people around town talking." Sort of true, but mentioning Clemmy...probably not too smart!
"Hmm, Clemmy gets the blame for a lot of stuff around here" said Little Patty ruefully "Jane blames herself for her death, I think that's why she pretends her ghost is hanging around; but actually she was a naughty and very willful little girl who did exactly what she wanted, it was her own fault what happened."
The older girl's frankness was almost frightening. She certainly didn't mince words.
"I think Jane hates Cicely here because she thinks she's taking Clemmy's place in the family. Really they should get on with each other: they've got something very important in common: they both saw their twin killed in front of them."
It was all a bit intense! Luckily Sis lightened the mood, suddenly laughing as the puppy-dog in her lap wriggled onto his back to have his tummy rubbed "The dog's funny!" the simple girl exclaimed.
"His name is Farley," he now addressed Big Sis, trying to divert attention. "He's a boy and lives at my house."
Sis chuckled at such an idiotic statement, shaking her massive head, making her chins wobble. "He's a dog not a boy!" she corrected Weedy.
Patricia smiled at the exchange.
"I'm glad Jane has a friend" she announced, looking kindly on Weedy "... you're adopted aren't you?" Again, her frankness bordered on the rude; although you got the impression that she would not hold it against you if you were equally frank with her.
"Yes, Miss." Weedy nodded. "Miss Addy's my ma now." Not that there was a legal ruling on the matter, and not that he would know the difference, and not that he would care. And for anyone who had been around town for any length of time, the details would pretty much be known, but the P-Fs were new to town, but Weedy didn't care to explain.
"Yes, sure, he's a dog," Weedy agreed with Big Sis, no sense not agreeing, since she didn't seem to understand the difference. "Miss Addy...Ma brought him home, found him out on the trail...she drives wagons and stages." He grinned. "All covered in mud, Farley was! Me and Jane cleaned him up. He likes you!"
What was it Addy always said? Animals knew people and could tell the good from the bad.
"Yes, Miss." Weedy nodded. "Miss Addy's my ma now."
"Yes, sure, he's a dog," Weedy agreed with Big Sis, no sense not agreeing, since she didn't seem to understand the difference. "Miss Addy...Ma brought him home, found him out on the trail...she drives wagons and stages." He grinned. "All covered in mud, Farley was! Me and Jane cleaned him up. He likes you!"
Big Sis carried on loving the puppy in her lap with a dopey grin on her placid face, occasionally glancing at Weedy as he told her all about the pup. She seemed pleased when Weedy said the mutt liked her.
Talking about canines, Patricia Patterson Forde, too, was like a dog with the proverbial bone, doggedly returning to the subject of Weedy's antecedents.
"My mother mentioned that you were originally from a place called Whitefish, is that right? The place was burned to the ground during a snowstorm, I believe?" she asked.
She fixed Weedy with a firm, but not unkindly, glance through her spectacles "Please believe me, I do have a good reason for asking. It is not mere idle curiosity."
"Oh, no, Miss," Weedy shook his head. "I was born here in Kalispell, only been to Whitefish once, after..." He paused for a moment, then explained, "My Ma was there to get married, that's what Miss Addy said, so I would have had a real family."
He had mixed feelings about the whole thing, but he wanted to believe that his ma had finally found a man who would take care of her -- of them -- and give them a good life. Of course, that made the thing all the more sad, given his ma had finally found something good.
"There was a lot of snow that Winter," he continued, "they said some roofs collapsed, and then some of the buildings caught fire. Strange, huh, that things can burn in that much snow."